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Electric vehicles are being introduced to Zipcar’s fleet as the car sharing company adds 2013 Honda Fit EV battery electric vehicles (BEV) to its vehicle offering in Portland.

These first electric vehicles are located at the Portland State University (PSU). Charging stations for the EVs are provided by ECOtality Inc., which is also providing Zipcar members access to the company’s Blink Network of charging stations in Portland during their reservations.

Zipcar did not reveal the exact number of Fit EV incorporated in its Portland fleet.

“We are very excited to introduce Honda Fit EVs into the Zipcar fleet here in Portland. The new EVs add to the selection of smart and sustainable vehicle options Zipcar currently offers, and will help our members further reduce their environmental impact by driving on electricity only,” said Jeremy Nelson, General Manager, Zipcar Portland.

The new Honda Fit EVs are located on PSU’s campus at Parking Structure 1, and are available to all Zipcar members for hourly reservations, starting at $10.25 per hour.

Zipcar said it chose PSU for the location of its first EVs in Portland because of the University’s leadership in environmentally conscious innovations, including its Electric Avenue automotive charging stations on campus.

“Having electric vehicles available at PSU through Zipcar fits perfectly with our sustainability mission,” said Portland State University President Wim Wiewel. “It’s a clean transportation option that I think our students, faculty and staff are really going to appreciate.”

Through Zipcar’s program with ECOtality, members who reserve Honda Fit EVs in Portland will have full access to ECOtality’s Blink Network of charging stations located throughout the Portland area if they are in need of a charge during their reservation.

Each Zipcar Fit EV is outfitted with a Blink InCard, which provides complimentary access to Blink Network charging stations to charge up, similar to the way gas cards work in other Zipcar vehicles.

“As EV’s enter into mass adoption, innovative companies such as Zipcar allow us to introduce our Blink charging stations to an audience that might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience an EV,” stated Greg Fioriti, Chief Revenue Officer of ECOtality, Inc. “We look forward to working with Zipcar and generating increased awareness of EVs throughout the Portland area.”

Prior to reserving one of the Zipcar EVs, members will have the opportunity to learn more about driving electric vehicles through Zipcar’s member education program. Members can visit www.zipcar.com/portlandev to learn more about the electric vehicles, watch an instructional video, go through a quick orientation process and make a reservation.

Honda’s 2013 Fit EV, based on its five-passenger Fit, earns a combined adjusted Environmental Protection Agency mile-per-gallon-equivalency rating of 118 MPGe, and a consumption rating of just 29 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles.

The Fit EV features a 20 kilowatt-hour Lithium-Ion battery and relies on a 92 kilowatt AC synchronous electric motor that generates 189 foot-pound of torque.

When plugged in a 240-volt circuit, the Fit EV battery can be recharged in less than three hours.